Circus Bear Vintage

Look what I received in the mail! Just some more to add to my owl collection!

I got them from Kayla at  The Dainty Squid. She has a somewhat new shop called Circus Bear Vintage!

This is by far my favorite owl figurine I owl so far!

I suggest you head over to the shop. So many cute vintage items and very fast shipping!

Thankful Series - Thursday

Thursday:  I am thankful for - My Husband, Scott

 Wow, where do I even begin? I don't know what I would do with out him. He is everything to me. He's helped me through some pretty bad times. He's the perfect man in my eyes. There's nothing he wouldn't do for me and I wouldn't do for him. I don't want to get too personal because he's a shy person, but everything I have to be thankful for I have because of him. I love you Scott...

Our back story:

We met back in high school, but he had a girlfriend and I had a crush on him. We didn't go to the same school. We talked a lot on the phone and remained friends. I hated the fact he had a girlfriend back then, but now we've both come to realize we wouldn't be together now if we dated back then. He is a year older than me and went of to join the Air Force after his graduation... We didn't speak again after that.

We reconnected somehow in 2006. He had come back from the Air Force, and we started talking again. We first talked online and I will never forget the line he used to be able to talk to me on the phone,"can I have your phone number to call you and talk, my lap top is going to over heat." So he called and we talked for hours! Just like that, we connected again like we never had ever stopped talking. We hung out later that same week and from then on have been inseparable. 

We dated for a year, then he proposed!

We got married on 6/7/08

 

Hawaii for our Honeymoon...

Not only am I thankful for him but also his family. They have made me really feel welcome and apart of their families. I love them all so much. I don't think I could have made it through some of the last Holidays with out a family and I'm so happy I had them.

I love you Scott, and I am so thankful we found each other again. I love all the time we've spent together and all of our adventures we've had so far. I can't wait for the ones to come! You are my everything. 

I hope you are all having a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Look out later this evening for COUPON CODES for my shop.

They will be good for Black Friday through Cyber Monday!

Thankful Series - Wednesday

Wednesday:  I am thankful for - My Little Bro Joe

This is my little brother Joe. He was born 5 years 2 months and 8 days after me. It was tough having a little brother come into my world as an only child. I remember thinking I can't wait to have a little brother! Then when he finally got here, I thought what the hell was I thinking!?

 

We pretty much "hated" each other for most of our childhood. When I say hate, I don't really mean hate. Now that I look back on growing up with him it's funny. We fought, a lot, but we were always there for each other and were always together making each other laugh. 

 As we got older, I graduated high school and he started, we grew apart a little. Just older and always with our friends. Our lives took a big turn when my brother graduated...

Just before his graduation I just got married. This is when we really became the best of friends. We had some bad things happen to us with our parents and figured out all we really have, family-wise, is each other. I don't know what I would do with out my little bro. He makes me laugh when I'm down. He knows most of my secrets, he loves my husband probably as much as I do. We both are there for each other no matter what. 

My most memorable and favorite moment with Joe was his 21st Birthday we just celebrated in Vegas! We had the best time! I will never forget it :)

 

Las Vegas 

2011

Thanks for always being there when I need to talk JoeJoe. I love you and I am so thankful I have you. 

Love, Jessica 

1 more day until Turkey Day! MMMMMMM

Thankful Series - Tuesday

Tuesday:  I am thankful for -The Art of Crochet

How did I start crocheting? Well when I met my husbands grandma I was interested in what I thought was crocheting. She knit. I told her I wanted to learn how to crochet and she knew how so she taught me the basic single and double crochet. From there all I made were basic blankets that had zig-zagged edges from not counting my stitches. I hated how they turned out but my husband said "you have to keep those blankets! One day we'll look at them and laugh," and we do!

It may seem ok in this picture, but it's very zig-zagged on the edges! hahaha.

 I gave up on it for a little while. My husband and I had a little bit of a tragedy in our lives. I miscarried for the first time. I knew I needed a real hobby to take my mind off things, start new, and move on. My co-worker Charlotte was a crocheter and so I asked her to help me to advance a little more, maybe help me with reading a pattern. I looked online and found Ohmygoodknits. Charlotte tried helping me with Lisa's slipper patterns. Once I perfected the slippers (by making over a dozen for Christmas last year) I thought I was getting pretty good!

 I'm so happy I found crochet. It seems to bring people together. If they don't already know how and are open minded they may ask you to show them how. If they already know how they usually want to get together and share ideas, or ask for help. Or when you make things people ask a lot of questions about it because crocheting turns out so beautiful  people think it looks hard! Believe me if I could do it you could do it! It's also very relaxing and takes your mind off things if you need that sort of thing. The number one thing I love most about crocheting is when someone receives something I've made. It makes me so happy and excited while I'm making it but to give a crocheted gift is the best. Knowing some one made you a gift with their own 2 hands is priceless in a world of technology gadgets!  

If you'd like to win a pair of my slippers and a bow scarf 

 head over to elycia's <3 blog

to enter! 

2 more days 'til Turkey Day! MMMMMMM

Friend Feature - Always Ashten

My friend Ashten has a really cute blog called Always Ashten . She is adorable and she lives in Atlanta. I've known her since we were in second grade, (so for a long time!) I've never really thought about it until now but she has been with me or known me through some of the most important times in my life. We went to same elementary, middle and high school together and I know she was at my wedding! When I think about being friends with Ashten I always hear her voice and remember how peepy and sweet she is. She has been one of a few friends who have bought something from my Etsy shop to support me. That makes me smile. She is so kind and I hope you check out her adventures... as I mentioned she now lives in Atlanta. She has a big gorgeous boxer named Warner. She looooves football, USC especially! She's just so darn cute! Please check out her blog . If you had a blog I know she'd support yours! 

Here is the link:

http://alwaysashten.blogspot.com/

Check this out. She did a video blog featuring my stuff!

Home Ec # 1 - Online Sewing Class for beginers/ My First Sewing Project!

  http://homeeconline.blogspot.com/

Lately I have been wanting to buy a sewing machine. They are so pretty and there are so many crochet projects I have done that I know would look so much cuter if I knew how to sew a few things to add to them. Well a about a month ago Target had sewing machines on sale in their Sunday ad. I'm pretty sure it was meant to be because I was just begging my husband for one. He agreed I could have one as long as it was reasonably priced and poof... Target had a beginners Singer on SALE! So, I bought it... It's just a basic model but that's all I need.

 

Isn't it pretty!? It's so new :)

 

I thought about taking a class at a craft store or something but I only have extra time on weekends and I hate waking up early. Then I came across the Home Ec image above on Pinterest. Oh lovely Pinterest! I looked more into the class and it seemed very reasonable. It cost $50 and there are about 27 step-by-step projects that get a little harder as you go. You go at your own pace. This has been great for me so far. I highly recommend this if you don't have a clue about sewing or even your sewing machine. They go over EVERYTHING.

The first project is a drawstring bag. Here's how mine came out...

It's the first project I've ever done on my own, on my own machine! I love it. I'm using it for my current crochet projects.

Crochet Project - Doily Blanket

One of my crochet idols, Lisa Gutierrez, just released her pattern for her Doily Blankets last month and I had to buy the pattern. Normally I'm not one to buy patterns but this blanket is so pretty!

This was my first attempt at the blanket and I'm a tight crocheter. Next time I'm going to try a bigger hook to get a larger blanket. It's great as a little throw blanket for one, but I want to make it large enough for 2 so I could cuddle with my honey <3

If you're interested in the pattern click HERE. It's only $5 if you download the PDF version. Keep in mind you get a whole issue of a PDF magazine for $5! It includes the pattern to THIS blanket and other things!
I think it's a great deal!

Raffle- The Shine Project

 Happy Friday everyone! Please, please, please when you have a few minutes today please check this out...

Ashley @ the Shine Project is doing some amazing things! Please visit her blog and participate in her raffle...

  instructions:

Each entry is $1. You can purchase as many entries as you would like. To purchase your tickets, click on the donate button on the left side of my blog. You do NOT need PayPal in order to complete your donation. After you buy your tickets, you will leave a comment  saying how many entries you bought. For example, if you donate $10, you get 1o entries. So you'd comment: Your email address- 10
**For every 10 you purchase, you get 2 free! So add those in when you leave a comment as well!My goal is to raise at least $2,000 from this raffle.PLEASE help spread the word!RAFFLE GOES FOR ONE WEEK!And if you live in AZ, we hope to see you at the SHINE event next Thursday!Click HERE to participate!"

Here's what I donated to the raffle...

So if you want to win these, and whole bunch of really cute handmade stuff, and support a really good cause at the same time buy lots of tickets!

Have a great weekend!